Dispensing carton



April 15, 1941. s. M. ANDREWS DISI-LENSINGCARTON Fiied Aug. 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY AStazrZjZ 7zd'2'6W9 ATTORNEY.

April 15, 1941.

s. M. ANDREWS DISFENS ING CARTON Filed Aug. 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Shet 2 IN VENTOR. Andrews,

ATT ORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1941 2,238,548 DISPENSING CARTON Stuart M. Andrews, Brooklyn, P. L. Andrews Corporation,

N. Y., assignor to Brooklyn, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Applicationv August 15,1939, Serialv No 290,186

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel construction of collapsible dispensing carton or box for holdinlg, and displaying if desired, ribbon, tapes, bindings andsimilar material subject to withdrawal of selective lengths thereof desired to be severed from the main body thereof and dispensed.

This invention has for an object to provide a novel collapsible carton or box which, when set up, provides a dispensing container for ribbon or tape-like material, such as those made of textile fabric, paper or other cellulosic material, or of any other flexible material; and, to this end, the novel carton or box comprises a body formed by side and end walls and having means.

for closing its bottom, and a novel arrangement of superposed outer and inner flaps for closing its top, said flaps cooperating to provide an outgoing passage through which the leading or outer end portion of the ribbon or tape-like content of the carton or box may be extended exteriorly of the latter; said inner flap having a transverse opening providing communication between the interior of the carton or box and said passage, ing an indented portion overlying an outer end portion of said passage so as to give access to the outerextremity of the ribbon or tape-like .material for manipulation and withdrawal thereof at will.

The invention has for another object to provide, in a carton or box of the kind above mentioned, a transparent portion in connection with a main body wall thereof through, which the content may be viewed whereby the extent to which said content has been dispensed may be quickly ascertained; and also to provide a transparent portion in the outer of said exit passage forming top flaps through which a portion of the face of the contained ribbon or tape-like material may be viewed to ascertain its color, pattern or design, thus making selection of a desired material of easy and quick accomplishment.

The invention has for a further object to provide, in a dispensing carton or box of the kind above mentioned, a bottom closure means of the tuck flap type which is self-locking, whereby the same is secured against accidental opening by the weight of the content enclosed.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention and said outer flap preferably havmanner familiar to the art.

I2 is provided at its respective top and bottom is shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel dispensing carton or box with its body set up .or

squared, but with its top and bottom closing flaps open; Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view showing the bottom closed, and showing the exit passage forming top flaps. with the inner flap closed in its operative position but the outer flap open; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the carton or box as operatively set up and fully closed ready for use.

Fig. 4 is a rear face view of or box; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;. and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken on line 6'-6 in Fig. 5, a quantity of fan-folded tape as operae tively enclosed in and related to the 'carton or box being indicated in this view by broken lines.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the body of the carton or box is provided by integral front and rear side wall sections Ill and II and end sec- "tions I2 hingedly joined one to the other by vertical score lines whereby the body may be flatly collapsed when not in use, or set up or squared when use thereof is desired, all in the Each end section extremities with in-folding tabs I3.

The bottom of the carton or box body may be 1 closed by any suitable type of bottom closure means or flaps, preferably, however, such bottom closure means comprises a bottom closure flap I4 hingedly or foldably connected with the lower margin of a side Wall section of the carton or box body, and provided at its free longitudinal edge with a hingedly or foldably connected tuck-section I5, which is insertable into the body interior when the bottom flap I4 is closed. At its respective ends, and in alignment with the juncture thereof with the bottom flap I4, said tuck section I5 is provided with incisions I6 which form, at the opposite extremities of said tuck section I5, flexing locking ears or lugs I'I. When the bottom flap I4 is closed and the tuck section I5 is inserted into the carton or box body interior between an adjacent side wall section of the body and an adjacent inturned tab I3, the locking ears or lugs I! tend to spring over the adjacent marginal portions of said tabs I3, thus obstructing outward displacement of the inserted tuck section I5, and thereby lockthe closed carton and an opposed outer top closure flap l9 hingedly or foldably connected with the upper margin of the opposite side wall section of the carton or box body as e. g. with the top margin of the front side wall section I 0. Said inner top flap I8 is provided at its free longitudinal edge with a hingedly or foldably connected tuck section 20, which, when the said inner top flap is folded down and over the open top end of the carton or box body, is inserted into the body interior, between the adjacent front side wall section It and the adjacent side margins of the upper inturned flaps l3, thus holding said inner top flap l8 in its operative closed relation to the top end of the carton or box body interior. The outer top flap I 9 is provided at its free longitudinal edge with a hingedly or foldably connected extension section 2|, which terminates at its free longitudinal edge in a fastening tongue 22 of reduced longitudinal dimension. Formed in the rear side wall section II of the carton or box body is an open keeper slit 23. After the inner top flap I8 is closed, the outer top flap I9 is thereupon closed so as to overlie said inner top flap. Said outer top flap I9 is retained in its closed position by turning its extension section 2| downwardly over the exterior surface of the rear side wall section II of the carton or box body, and thereupon inserting the fastening tongue portion 22 thereof inwardly through the keeper slit 23 of said rear side wall section.

When the inner and outer top flaps l8 and I9 are thus closed over the open top of the carton or box body, the outer top flap is superposed upon the inner top flap so as to provide an intermediate endwise open passage or way 24 in a plane parallel to the plane of the top of the carton or box body, and corresponding in width to the width of the interior of the latter. Formed in said inner top flap l8, at a suitable point intermediate its ends and coextensive with its width, is a transverse outlet opening or slot 25 which provides communication between the interior of the carton or box body and said passage or way 24. Formed in an end of the outer top flap I9 is an indented opening or thumb notch 26 which exposes and renders accessible to the fingers of the operator, the extremity of the leading end portion R of the ribbon or tape-like content R of the carton or box body, and which is led from the interior of the latter, through the outlet opening or slot 25 of the inner top flap and thence through the passage or way 24 to the outlet thereof adjacent to which said indented opening or thumb notch 26 is located.

The ribbon or tape-like material R may be arranged in a roll or in the fan-folded condition as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. In either arrangement, the initial body of ribbon or tape-like material R is entered into the interior of the carton or box body through the opened top thereof, whereupon the leading or outer end portion R of the material R is threaded outwardly through the outlet opening or slot 25 of the inner top flap [8 which is thereupon closed. Said leading or outer end portion R of the material R is overlaid upon the outer surface of said inner top flap [8 so as to extend toward that end thereof from which it is desired to be pulled out. When the material R is thus arranged the outer top flap I9 is closed, thereby forming the passage or way 24 through which the leading or outer end portion R of said material is to extend.

It will be obvious that when a length of the material R is desired to be withdrawn and cut oil in dispensing the same from the carton or box, the operator merely grips with the fingers the extremity of the leading r outer end portion R, which is accessible through the indented opening or thumb notch 26, and pulls outwardly thereon, thus causing the material to feed outwardly from the interior of the carton or box through the outlet opening or slot 25 and thence through the passage or way 24 until a desired length of the material is obtained, whereupon such withdrawn length is cut away ready for delivery or use, as the case may be.

It is desirable to provide means whereby, with out exteriorly projecting or exposing to handling the leading or outer end portion of the material R, the material may be viewed to ascertain its kind, color, design or other visibly indicated char acteristic, and also as an aid in selecting from among a number of cartons or boxes containing material of a variety of colors, patterns, etc., that carton or box which contains the particular material desired. To this end, the outer top flap I9 is provided with a longitudinal opening 21 of suitable length and width adapted to overlie that portion of the passage or way 24 through which the material R is extended. Adhesively secured to the inner surface of said outer top flap I9 is a covering or panel 28 of transparent cellulosic material or the like which extends over and glazes said opening 21, thus maintaining protection of the material R while nevertheless rendering it visible to inspection.

It is also desirable to provide means whereby the quantity of undispensed material R contained in the carton or box may be from time to time quickly visually gauged or estimated without necessity for opening the latter or removing said material. For this purpose, a wall section of the carton or box body, preferably although not necessarily the front side wall section I0, is provided with a vertically disposed opening 29, of suitable width and height, disposed to extend upwardly from a point at or substantially adjacent to the plane of the bottom of the carton or box body. Adhesively secured to the inner surface of the carton or box body is a covering or panel 30 of transparent cellulosic material or the like which extends over and glazes said opening 29, and through which the material content of the carton or box may be viewed.

From the above description it will be obvious that the instant invention provides a very convenient, practical and easily used dispensingcarton or box for tape-like material; furthermore, the novel carton or box is of such novel construction that it can be easily and quickly set up from its initial fiat collapsed condition, and when set up and charged with the material to be contained therein, said material is fully protected against soiling, undue handling, etc., while yet being quickly and easily accessible for withdrawal in such selected lengths thereof as may be desired from time to time. Furthermore, the novel dispensing carton or box is so characterized that visibility of the content for kind and quantity is provided without direct" exposure or the material.

be made in the construction hereinl shown and described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims. It is therefore. intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing carton for tape-like material, a body open at its bottom and top, means to close the bottom of said body, a wall of said body having a vertically disposed viewing opening extending upwardly from its closed bottom, transparent material afiixed to said body wall to cover the area of said opening therein, superposed inner and outer closure flaps at the top of said body adapted to form intermediate thereof an outgoing passageway through which material may issue from the body interior, means to retain said flaps in closed relation to the body top and in mutual passageway forming relation, said inner flap having intermediate its ends a transverse slot providing communication between the interior of said body and said passageway,

said outer flap having a viewing opening over a portion of said passageway, transparent material affixed to said outer flap to cover the area of said opening therein, and an end portion of said outer flap having an indented thumb notch formed therein to accessibly expose the extremity of material extending outwardly through said passageway.

2. A dispensing carton for tape-like material comprising, a rectangular hollow body formed by joined side and end sections, said end sections having in-folding tabs to extend from their top and bottom ends, one side section having a bottom closure flap extending from its lower margin, said bottom closure flap having a self-locking tuck section extending from its free longitudinal It will be understood that, various changes could margin and insertable into said body to interlock with the lower in-folding tabs so as to hold the closed bottom flap against accidental opening, superposed inner and outer top closure flaps extending respectively from the upper margins of opposite side sections of said body to close over the top of the latter and adapted to form intermediate thereof an outgoing passageway through which material may issue from the body interior, said inner top flap having a tuck section extending from its free longitudinal margin and insertable into said body to hold said inner top flap closed, said outer top flap having an extension section extending from its free longitudinal mar gin to exteriorly overlie the side section of said body opposite to that from which said outer top flap extends, said extension terminating in a fastening tongue, said last named body side section having a slit through which said tongue is insertable to hold said outer top flap closed, and said inner top flap having intermediate its ends a transverse slot providing communication between the interior of said body and said passageway.

3. A dispensing carton for tape-like material comprising, a rectangular hollow body formed by joined side and end sections, said end sections having in-folding tabs to extend from their top and bottom ends, one side section having a bottom closure flap extending from its lower margin,

said; bottom tucksection extending from its free longitudinal margin and insertable into said body to interlock with thelower in-folding tabs so as-to hold the closed bottom flap against accidental opening, superposed inner and'outer top closure flaps extending respectively from the upper margins of opposite side sections of said body to close over the top of the latter and adapted to form intermediate thereof an outgoing passageway through which material may issue from the body interior, said inner top flap having a tuck section extending from its free longitudinal margin and insertable into said body to hold said inner top flap closed, said outer top flap having an extension section extending from its free longitudinal margin to exteriorly overlie the side section of said body opposite to that from which said outer top flap extends, said extension terminating in a fastening tongue, said last named body side section having a slit through which said tongue is insertable to hold said outer top flap closed, said inner top flap having intermediate its ends a transverse slot providing communicating between the interior of said body and said passageway, and an end portion of said outer flap having an indented thumb notch formed therein to accessibly expose the extremity of material extending outwardly through said passageway.

4. In a dispensing carton for tape-like material as defined in claim 2, wherein said outer top flap is provided with a viewing opening over a portion of said passageway, and transparent material ailixed to said outer top flap to cover the area of said opening therein.

5. In a dispensing carton for tape-like material as defined in claim 2, wherein a wall of said body is provided with a vertically disposed viewing opening extending upwardly from its closed bottom, and transparent material affixed to said body wall to cover the area of said opening therein.

6. In a dispensing carton for tape-like material as defined in claim 3, wherein a wall of said body is provided with a vertically disposed viewing opening extending upwardly from its closed bottom, transparent material aflixed to said body wall to cover the area of said opening therein, and wherein said outer top flap is provided with a viewing opening over a portion of said passageway, and transparent material affixed to said outer top flap to cover the area of said outer top flap opening.

7. A dispensing container for tape-like material comprising, a rectangular hollow body having an open top, said body including side and end sections, said end sections having tabs to in-fold over the open top of said body, superposed inner and outer top closure flaps extending respectively from the upper margins of opposite side sections of said body coextensive with and so as to close over the body top, said top closure flaps cooperating to form intermediate thereof an outgoing passageway through which material to be dispensed may issure from the body interior, said inner top flap having a tuck section extending from its free longitudinal margin for insertion into the body to hold said inner top flap in closed position and supported by said in-folded tabs, said outer top flap having an extension section extending from its free longitudinal margin to exteriorly overlie the side section of said body opposite to that from which said outer top flap extends, said extension terminating in a fastening tongue, said last named body side section having a slit through which said tongue is insertable to hold said outer closure flap having -a seli locking top flap closed, and said inner top flap havingflap is provided with a viewing opening over a intermediate its ends a transverse slot providing portion of said passageway, and transparent macommunication between the interior of said body terial aflixed to said outer top flap to cover the and said passageway. area of said opening therein.

8. In a dispensing container for tape-like ma- 5 teriai as defined in claim 7 wherein said outer top STUART M. ANDREWS. 

